Wednesday, July 08, 2009

A Bunch of Sew and Sews

Heard about a group of women who gather once a month to make quilts for kids in hospitals and signed up to participate. Made the 45-minute trek last night and what I found was more than worth the drive.

For seven years now, a rotating group of women has gathered in the back room of this quilt store once a month. They cut and sew and talk and laugh for hours. Most of the fabrics and supplies are donated. The laughter is free. Anyone who wants to help is welcome.

Worked all evening and came home with a stack of quilts to finish binding as well as a stack of fabrics to make into weighted blankets for children with autism. Somehow, these women found out that weighted blankets help some kids on the spectrum sleep better. They came up with a pattern and instructions and started recruiting people to make the blankets. The need is great—the waiting list to receive one of the blankets is many months long.

I love to sew, particularly for kids. But what I love even more is being in the company of women united for a cause. The collective spirit and energy and creativity in that room could power the rotation of the earth if need be. I left so full of enthusiasm you'd think I'd been mainlining adrenaline.